CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 76: YOU CAN TAKE THE STAGE, FOR 300 MILLION

The whole room fell silent for two seconds, then it erupted in uproar.

"Could this woman be President Hawthorne’s partner?"

"But wasn’t Vincent Hawthorne’s companion for tonight supposed to be Cindy Lynn?"

On stage, Cindy Lynn watched Vincent Hawthorne walk towards Tanya Sinclair with a smile that slightly hardened at the corners of her mouth.

Tanya coldly eyed Vincent approaching her, without a hint of joy on her face.

She just felt disgusted.

Slap her and then offer a sweet date, is he treating her like a dog he can train?

Tanya pulled out her phone, and as Vincent came closer, she coldly threatened him, word by word, "Tell them to open the door and let me go, or I’ll call the police and report you for illegal detention!"

"Tanya." Vincent lowered his voice, with an apologetic and helpless look in his eyes, "Don’t throw a tantrum. I’ll explain everything when we get home. There are a few guests here tonight who are very important to me, connections I’d like to make. Please, don’t embarrass me, alright?"

As he spoke, his tall figure completely shielded Tanya from view, and he gently yet forcibly grabbed Tanya’s wrist, snatching her phone away.

Tanya wanted to knee him hard between his legs, to show him what real embarrassment meant.

But a sliver of rationality reminded her that if she completely fell out with Vincent now, it would be hard to make things right.

More importantly...

Tanya saw Caden’s figure; he was holding Joy’s hand, standing in the corner, looking at her with a mix of worry and curiosity.

Tanya closed her eyes to force herself to endure.

"Vincent," she called his name, speaking softly, "You’re hurting me."

Her tone was a plea for leniency.

Vincent loosened his grip, attempting to hold her hand, but Tanya evaded him.

Vincent’s empty hand lingered in mid-air for a moment before nonchalantly reaching towards Tanya’s ear, tidying her hair.

He leaned close to her ear, softly coaxing, "Just be good and stand on stage for a bit. I promise, it’ll be over soon."

Tanya saw several waiters carrying roses of different colors: red, white, and yellow.

Each rose was priced.

Yellow roses, thirty thousand each.

White roses, one hundred thousand each.

Red roses, two hundred thousand each.

Tanya couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

This was the so-called rose contest.

Tonight, the woman who received the most roses from men would be the winner.

So when Vincent said it would be over soon, he meant sending her on stage to be embarrassed while serving as a backdrop for Cindy Lynn?

Tanya suddenly chuckled, her voice turning icy.

"So this is the surprise you have for me?"

"..." Vincent’s body stiffened slightly, not daring to meet Tanya’s eyes, he could only explain in a low voice, "Tonight’s event isn’t what you think. We’ll talk at home. Tanya, please just go on stage first."

His original intent was not to deliberately embarrass Tanya in public.

But as things had developed, he had no choice but to temporarily inconvenience Tanya.

Cindy Lynn had just won the first prize in the International Designer Competition, an accolade with undeniable prestige, and if she was also crowned The Rose Queen, Cindy would be his best social asset tonight.

"Tanya," Vincent whispered softly so only the two of them could hear, "I need you to help me one more time. I’ll agree to whatever you want!"

"..."

Tanya couldn’t quite describe what she was feeling, but she was so disappointed that it numbed the pain.

Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed Vincent’s arm, her clear eyes meeting his gaze.

Vincent had a pair of extraordinarily beautiful almond eyes; in the past, every time she looked into those eyes, she felt happiness, as if deeply loved by him.

But after waking up, she had seen many times how he looked at Cindy Lynn with those same soulful eyes, sometimes even more tender and affectionate than when he looked at her.

"Vincent," Tanya heard her own voice, bargaining with him, "I can go on stage, but Caden and Joy mustn’t see. Also, I need a new instrument, three hundred million."

Implying that as her appearance fee, he needed to pay up.

The only thing Tanya cared about was the two children.

Since Vincent had already trampled on her dignity tonight, she might as well exchange it for something tangible.

Vincent did not expect Tanya would negotiate conditions with him, he slightly frowned, but still agreed.

"Alright."

Tanya was relentless: "You must promise to sign a voluntary gift agreement with me."

"..."

Vincent didn’t expect Tanya to suddenly become so mercenary.

But judging by her expression, she didn’t seem to be joking, and besides, he was indeed in the wrong tonight.

Vincent conceded, "Alright, I promise to sign a voluntary gift agreement."

The phone in Tanya’s hand was recording.

She quietly pressed pause.

Vincent Hawthorne didn’t personally escort Tanya Sinclair onto the stage; instead, he brought her to Cody Crawford.

This move undoubtedly announced to everyone that Tanya Sinclair was Cody Crawford’s companion, and Vincent was just being chivalrous, helping out a friend.

Cody Crawford was left speechless by Vincent Hawthorne’s action.

Even though he didn’t like Tanya Sinclair, he still felt she was pitiable.

So pitiable.

He looked at Tanya Sinclair’s delicate and pale face, filled with sympathy.

She loves Vincent Hawthorne so much, surely she’s pretending to be indifferent, but her heart must be bleeding...

Cindy Lynn looked at Tanya Sinclair being escorted by Cody Crawford, the corners of her mouth that had dropped, lifted again.

Tanya Sinclair’s seat was right next to hers.

Unquestionably turned into her backdrop!

"Wait," Tanya Sinclair called out to Cody Crawford, who was about to step down from the stage, "Bring me a chair, and some fruit too, I’m hungry."

Cody Crawford: "Huh?"

Standing is so tiring.

Being watched like a monkey by the crowd below.

But if she sits down, you couldn’t predict who would be watching whom.

Out of sympathy for Tanya Sinclair, Cody Crawford played the role of the laborer, brought a chair onto the stage, and fetched her a plate of grapes.

The Rose Queen competition officially began, the lights in the venue dimmed, leaving only a few spotlights on stage, strikingly visible in the darkness.

Below stage, a group of wealthy young gentlemen began purchasing roses to gift the beauties.

Undoubtedly, the most popular tonight was Cindy Lynn.

"Young Master Wallace, sending ten white roses to Miss Cindy Lynn."

"Young Master Hughes, sending twenty red roses to Miss Cindy Lynn."

Tsk tsk, truly the game of the wealthy.

A single swipe, and it’s four million.

Tanya Sinclair sat there openly, calmly eating her grapes.

Below stage, Cody Crawford frowned at Tanya Sinclair, shook his head gently, filled with sympathy.

So tragic, thoroughly hurt by Vincent Hawthorne, completely self-destructive.

Out of sympathy, Cody Crawford sent Tanya Sinclair ten yellow roses.

"Young Master Crawford, sending ten yellow roses to Miss Tanya Sinclair."

Tanya Sinclair almost choked on her grape.

Below stage, Cody Crawford was waving sympathetically at her.

Tanya Sinclair: "..."

Vincent Hawthorne’s friends are truly one brain issue after another.

Can’t even tell if the money spent on flowers can be withdrawn, thirty thousand!

Probably enough to buy the car Daisy Bell gave her.

"President Hawthorne, sending one hundred red roses to Miss Cindy Lynn!!" The host’s voice was filled with excitement, "A total of twenty million! Breaking tonight’s record!"

"..."

Tanya Sinclair quietly lowered her eyes, eating grapes.

This one wasn’t sweet.

Bitterness and sourness lingered on her tongue.

Cindy Lynn slightly raised her chin, her smile bright and proud.

The host loudly declared: "It looks like tonight’s Rose Queen has been chosen, if no more guests send additional flowers, then I announce..."

The host hadn’t finished speaking when a waiter suddenly hurried over, his collar embroidered with gold edges, not a first-floor waiter, but one from the second floor.

The host treated him much more politely.

The waiter whispered a few words in his ear, and after listening, the host looked incredulously, almost biting his own tongue.

"...so much!"

He cleared his throat and picked up the microphone again: "Sorry everyone, a gentleman from the second floor has just joined tonight’s event."

According to the Rose Queen competition rules, guests on the second floor can certainly participate, but previously, second-floor guests never joined such blatantly extravagant events to win over women!

First, they felt it lacked class; secondly, the Dissonance’s hierarchy was clear.

The first floor and second floor seemed to be separated by dozens of steps, but in reality, it was like a ladder to the heavens.

The entire hall fell silent, everyone instinctively looking toward the second floor, their gazes mixed with a bit of dread and curiosity.

Someone with such charm, attracting a prominent figure from the second floor into the event... obviously, it could only be Cindy Lynn!